Authors: Hyer, Nancy Lea, Wemmerlöv, Urban and Morris, John A.
The purpose of this article is to see how focus-based approach and its link to performance affect’s the health care system. “This research is aimed at enhancing our understanding of how a focus-based approach to organization redesign in health care affects processes and practices, and what operational, clinical, and financial outcomes result from such a change.” This will help managers see a different side from previous studies like the one that this article references that says, “previous studies of hospital restructuring involving focused patient populations have not conclusively supported a positive link between focus and outcomes.” This studies result will most likely have a heavier weight with the managers from the area in which this study was drawn. It is always beneficial to managers to be able to see more than one study.
The findings/suggestions that are supported by a study that was drawn in certain area and the study does a comparison of before the conversion to a focus-based approach and after the conversion of a focus-based approach. The conclusion of the study, states that the focused-based approach has a range from no improvement to large improvement. The focus-based approach has no damaging affect in the health care process. It actually has the large improvement in the net operating margins, which is beneficial to the health care system.
Implications for practicing managers are that in the area where it was drawn the health care system could benefit in some areas such as, the net operating margins from using a focus-based approach. This allows for managers in the area where the study was drawn and other areas to see other studies results and may help them decide if they are looking for a change to use the focus-based approach as an option.
Source: Journal of Operations Management; Jun2009, Vol. 27 Issue 3, p203-219, 17p
It sounds like there is a potential for a large benefit from using a focus-based approach, with no risk for damaging affects. In my opinion the next consideration would be the cost/benefit relationship. However, from my understanding, it sounds like the benefit can be largely unpredictable. So focus-based approach may be an option for hospitals that are running out of options.
ReplyDeleteI agree, hospitals who are looking for options or feel like they have no options can see if this focus-based approach is a fit.
DeleteSeems like this would be a good fit to implement in hospitals.Its almost as if its a low risk, medium reward to possibly high reward if the hospital is able to greatly benefit from such a move.
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